Geert Wilders used the microblogging service Twitter to say it is not Jews who should emigrate but 'the Moroccans who are anti-semitic'. And GroenLinks leader Femke Halsema said: 'people who are being threatened deserve protection in their own country'.

The Christian Democrats have called for a summit about combating anti-semitism involving both Muslim and Jewish organisations.

And the Dutch Moroccan information centre CIDM said Bolkestein's comments were scare-mongering.

'This is nothing other than the lastet generalisated insult targeting Dutch Moroccans,' a spokesman told the Telegraaf.